University of California-Berkeley Football

Bob Gregory has been one of the nation's top assistant coaches over a career that has spanned more than four decades, with experience at multiple prestigious programs. He has served as defensive coordinator for five different programs (Washington University, Willamette, Boise State, California, Washington) across 16 seasons, and has coached on seven teams that won conference championships and 22 that played in bowl games. A total of 46 players he coached have gone on to play in the NFL. Gregory's most recent positions include stints at Stanford (2023-24) as special teams coordinator and safeties coach, and at Washington (2014-21) where he was defensive coordinator in 2021 and interim head coach midway through the season. He mentored multiple All-Americans and award winners, including Ben Burr-Kirven (Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year), Shaq Thompson (Paul Hornung Award winner), and Dante Pettis (consensus All-American). A 1987 graduate of Washington State with a bachelor's degree in English, Gregory earned his master's degree in educational policy at Oregon and played linebacker and defensive back for the Cougars.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced Bryan Barraza as the program's new defensive edges coach. Barraza comes to Berkeley after a stint at Oregon where he worked with the defensive lineman and outside linebackers. Under newly-named defensive coordinator Michael Hutchings and defensive line coach Darrion Daniels, Barraza will focus on the edges while McGilvra will serve as the assistant defensive line coach. Barraza's stint at Oregon included time working and aiding the development of five 2025 All-Big Ten selections in Bear Alexander, Jadon Canady, Teitum Tuioti, Matayo Uiagalalei and A'Mauri Washington.

Boyd helped Oregon post a 47-7 overall record since 2022, win a 2024 Big Ten title and reach the College Football Playoff twice (2024, '25). He was a part of a defense that has been ranked fourth or higher in its final years in the Pac-12 Conference and sixth or higher in its first two seasons in the Big Ten. Boyd, who has been with Oregon since 2022, was a defensive analyst this past season under Lupoi. Prior to Oregon, Boyd was a graduate assistant at the University of Colorado (2021) and a volunteer defensive assistant at the University of Tennessee (2020). While in Knoxville, he assisted with the outside linebackers, worked on weekly scouting reports and offensive breakdowns while also assisting with the scout team among his overall responsibilities. Before his time at UT, he served as a graduate assistant at Jacksonville State University for two seasons (2018-19). Boyd earned his bachelor's degree in Physical Education from the University of Alabama in 2018, making the Dean's List as a senior. He received his Master's in Sports Management from Jacksonville State in 2020. As an undergrad at Alabama, Boyd spent three years working as a student assistant in the football office.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi named Da'Von Brown the Golden Bears' new defensive backs coach on December 26, 2025, with a Co-Defensive Coordinator title. Brown comes to Cal from Western Kentucky, where he served as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach in 2025 after two seasons as the Hilltoppers defensive backs coach. The 2025 Hilltoppers went 9-4 and won the New Orleans Bowl, with Western Kentucky's defense surrendering the least touchdowns through the air in Conference USA and tallying nine interceptions. In 2024, Brown led one of the top secondaries in Conference USA, finishing second in pass defense and helping WKU earn a berth in the CUSA Championship Game. He coached multiple players to All-Conference USA honors, including Upton Stout, who was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Brown previously spent two years at Ole Miss, starting as a graduate assistant in 2021 and being promoted to defensive analyst in 2022, helping the Rebels' defense hold opponents to 25 points per game. Before Ole Miss, he was a graduate assistant at Geneva College in 2020. Brown played four seasons as a defensive back at Florida Atlantic, three under Lane Kiffin, recording 114 total tackles, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble in his final three seasons. As a senior in 2019, he registered 76 tackles while helping FAU finish 11-3. He holds a bachelor's degree in public safety administration from Florida Atlantic.

Darrion Daniels was named Cal's defensive line coach on December 27, 2025. Daniels, who comes to Cal after a two-year stint in Eugene as a defensive analyst, was a standout defensive lineman in college at Oklahoma State and Nebraska. As a player, Daniels was named a team captain for the Cornhuskers and was later named an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection for his play during his senior year in Lincoln. As a senior, he totaled a career-high 34 tackles on the season, with four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and his first career interception at Nebraska. While at Oklahoma State, Daniels recorded seven tackles, one tackle for loss and 1.0 sack in his four games in 2018. As a junior in 2017, Daniels started 10 games and had 26 tackles, five TFLs, a half-sack, two pass breakups and a pair of quarterback hurries. He earned the Vernon Grant Award for outstanding leadership, spirit and enthusiasm following the season. As a sophomore, Daniels appeared in 13 games, totaling 15 tackles, one TFL, one breakup, one hurry and one blocked extra point. Daniels was named Oklahoma State's most outstanding defensive newcomer as a true freshman in 2015, when he played in 13 games and had 16 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a half-sack. Daniels played his prep ball for Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas, where he was named a first-team all-state selection as both a junior and a senior. Darrion earned his degree in marketing from Oklahoma State in December of 2018 and a master's degree in applied science fro

DaRe, a native of Clayton, Calif., was a video intern for the Oakland Raiders and joined the staff as a player personnel assistant working with General Manager Mike Mayock before moving into a defensive assistant role for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders from 2018-2021 working with the defensive back unit. After the 2021 season, he transitioned to the college game, where he was a graduate assistant at Northwestern before his time at Baylor. DaRe will serve as an assistant defensive backs coach under Da'Von Brown and Connor Boyd after a two-year stint at Baylor as a defensive backs analyst.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the addition of Ed McGilvra as the team's assistant defensive line coach on January 15, 2026. McGilvra comes to Berkeley after a year at Sacramento State where he was the defensive line coach for the Hornets. This past fall, the Hornets' defensive line group combined for 32.5 sacks and 59.0 tackles-for-loss. The group produced one first team all-Big Sky selection along with two second team selections. Outside of coaching, McGilvra is known for his training of NFL talent. McGilvra hosts some of the top tier talent every off-season, including Khalil Mack, Aidan Hutchinson, Quennin Williams, Kenny Clark, Laitau Latu and more. McGilvra has a group of over 50 active NFL players that train with him over the offseason, including 16 former first round draft picks as a part of the group. McGilvra has been known to develop some of the top talent for every NFL Draft cycle through his time coaching the defensive line for both the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl with three players winning MVP honors at the Senior Bowl. He has worked closely with NFL teams such as; LA Rams, LA Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans over the last decade to help them develop young undrafted free agents on their rosters.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the return of Famika Anae as the team's offensive line coach on January 15, 2026. In 2025, Anae oversaw an offensive line group who helped freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele collect the second-highest totals for completions, attempts, passing yards and passing touchdowns by a Cal freshman quarterback since Jared Goff in 2013. The group also paved the way for running back Kendrick Raphael who finished the season with 943 rushing yards, 245 yards receiving and 1,188 all-purpose yards. He began his coaching career as an assistant offensive line coach at BYU (2014-15) and also had stops at Virginia (2016-17), Dixie State (2018), Texas A&M Commerce (2019-21), Campbell (2022-23) and New Mexico (2024) before joining the Golden Bears in 2025. Anae's signature coaching season came in 2024 as the offensive line coach at New Mexico when his group put up incredible numbers, leading the nation in sacks allowed (0.42 per game) and tackles for loss allowed (2.17 per game), while ranking fourth nationally in rush offense (253.6 ypg). Prior to his time in Albuquerque, Anae served as the offensive line coach for the Campbell Camels for two seasons, helping oversee the transition from the Big South Conference to the CAA. Anae played offensive line at BYU from 2011-12 before injuries ended his career after his sophomore season. Anae was a starter as a sophomore, earning All-Independent honors. He earned his bachelor's degree in h

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the addition of Geoff McArthur as the team's assistant wide receiver coach on January 15, 2026. McArthur is one of the top wide receivers in school history. He ranks as Cal's all-time leader with 3,188 receiving yards, shares all-time lead in 100-yard receiving games (11) and is second with 202 career receptions. In addition, McArthur is seventh at Cal with 20 touchdown catches. He was named a second-team All-American as a junior in 2003, he was also chosen second-team All-Pac-10, the team's Most Improved Player and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame's College Male Athlete of the Year. He continues to hold Cal's season receiving yards mark with 1,504 in 2003 while his 85 receptions the same season are fourth. A first-team All-Pac-12 selection as a senior, he led the team in receptions (57), receiving yards (862) and touchdown receptions (7). He holds the Cal single-game record for most receptions (16) and is second in receiving yards (245), picking up both in the 2003 Big Game.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the hiring of veteran NFL player and coach Ike Hilliard as the program's wide receivers coach on January 2, 2026. In addition, Hilliard will hold a co-offensive coordinator title. Hilliard worked with a long list of the league's top wide receivers during 13 seasons as an NFL coach, including five who combined for six 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his watch in Brandon Marshall (Miami); Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson (Washington); Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh); and Drake London (Atlanta). Johnson (2021) and London (2024) both had their most productive NFL seasons when tutored by Hilliard, with Johnson also earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2021. Hilliard's 13 seasons as an NFL coach were highlighted by three teams that were division winners, with Washington taking the NFC East title in both 2012 and 2015, while Pittsburgh was the NFC North champion in 2020. The Steelers added an AFC Wild Card season in 2021. Hilliard played wide receiver for a dozen campaigns in the league before embarking on his coaching career and was a member of the 2000 New York Giants squad that won the NFC Championship and participated in Super Bowl XXXV. Hilliard played in 161 career regular-season games with 106 starts over a 12-year career with the Giants (1997-2004) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). He finished with 546 career receptions for 6,397 yards receiving with 35 touchdown catches. Hilliard was selected in the first round (seventh o

Novak returns to Cal for a second season as the head athletic performance coach in 2026 to continue a three-decade career that has given him extensive experience at the NFL, collegiate and elite prep levels. Novak spent 11 campaigns on the strength and conditioning staff of the Tennessee Titans (2014-2024) and has a combined 19 seasons of experience at the collegiate and elite prep levels (Alabama State, Baylor, California, Central Michigan, IMG Academy, James Madison, Michigan State, Stephen F. Austin, Yale). Novak made an immediate impact in his first season at Cal in 2025, as the Bears got off to a strong 3-0 start and then had comeback wins against ranked teams in two of their final three regular-season contests at No. 15 Louisville in overtime and against No. 21 SMU. Novak coached three Pro Football Hall of Famers and 29 Pro Bowlers with the Titans, while he has worked with 41 players during his collegiate and high school stops who have gone on to play in the NFL. Novak earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1998 and his master's degree from Baylor in sport management in 2000. A native of Houston, Texas, Novak and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Drew, Avery and Gray.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the return of Jeff McDaniels on January 15, 2026. McDaniels is back for a second season at Cal in 2026 and will move into the role of assistant quarterbacks coach after working as an assistant with the team's offensive line and tight ends. Prior to Berkeley, McDaniels spent two seasons at Eastern Washington where he served as the wide receivers coach. Before his time in Cheney, he was at Auburn University for two seasons, where he was the Senior Offensive Analyst, assisting the coaching of the Receivers, Tight Ends and Running Backs. While at Auburn he coached two current NFL players: Running Back Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (3rd Round pick) & Wide Receiver Shedrick Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals. He also helped coach Bo Nix during the 2021 season. Over the last four weeks of the 2022 season at Auburn, McDaniels was elevated to Interim Running Backs Coach. Before his elevation during the 2022 season, as the Senior Offensive Analyst he assisted all offensive skill position coaches and worked alongside the Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach and Head Coach in game planning. During his first season at Auburn, he was the Offensive Skill Graduate Assistant Coach. He helped the Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver, and Tight Ends coaches in daily preparation in addition to game planning as well. McDaniels came to Auburn from Boise State University, where he served as the Offensive Graduate Assistant Coach. He worked p

Travers Family Head Coach Tosh Lupoi named Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Somerville the Golden Bears offensive coordinator on December 19, 2025. Somerville spent the last three seasons with the Buccaneers as the assistant quarterbacks coach working with Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield. Before his stint in Tampa Bay, Somerville spent time in the college ranks at Oregon, New Mexico and Arizona State. Prior to the NFL, Somerville was an offensive analyst at Oregon, where he worked with future NFL quarterback Bo Nix. Before his first full-time coaching role, Somerville was a graduate assistant in 2019 with the Arizona State Sun Devils, helping them to a berth in the Tony the Tigers Sun Bowl. He also served as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico for two seasons (2020-21).

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the hiring of longtime collegiate coach and Oakland native Keith Bhonapha as the program's running back coach on December 22, 2025. Bhonapha spent the past two seasons at Michigan State as the Spartan's assistant head coach/running backs coach. He also served as the program's co-special teams coordinator and held play-calling responsibilities for that unit. Bhonapha has more than 20 years of collegiate experience stemming from stints at Michigan State, Oregon State, Boise State, Washington and Hawai'i. A four-year letterwinner at Hawai'i (1999-2002), Bhonapha was a defensive back for the Rainbow Warriors, playing 35 games in his career, posting 55 tackles and scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt. He earned his bachelor's degree from Hawai'i in liberal studies with a focus in criminology in 2003, and his master's degree from Hawai'i in public administration in 2005. Bhonapha and his wife, Julia, have four children, Isaiah, Emery, Odin and Ellison.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the return of Keith Heyward as the Bears' defensive pass game coordinator on January 15, 2026. Heyward began his second stint with the Golden Bears in March of 2025 as a defensive backs coach. He served as Cal's outside linebackers coach in 2021. Prior to his return to Cal, Heyward served as the defensive coordinator at Oregon State for a season. In 2023, he served as a defensive quality control coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. Before his lone season in the NFL, he spent one season as UNLV's defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Prior to his two years in the desert, he coached safeties at Oregon for four seasons and served as co-defensive coordinator for his last three seasons. In 2016, Heyward coached defensive backs at Louisville. Prior to Louisville, he served as USC's passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. From 2012 to 2013, Heyward coached the secondary at the University of Washington. His first full-time coaching stop at the FBS level was at his Alma Mater, Oregon State, where he coached the Beaver's secondary for four seasons (2008-11). His first coaching stop came in 2007 at Cal Poly, where he was the team's linebackers coach. Out of college, Heyward stepped into coaching at Oregon State as a defensive graduate assistant for two seasons (2005-06). As a player, he was a four-year letterman (1997-2000) for Oregon State, starting 35 consecutive games and was part of OSU's 2000 11-win season. He a

Coming out of Cal, Alexander was an undrafted free agent who cut his teeth in the league as a special teams coverage player. To stay in the league he bulked up to play both defensive and offensive line, before transitioning back to a more natural position of linebacker for most of his career. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, once as a special teamer (2012) and once as a linebacker in the 2016 season with the Bills when he led the team with 12.5 sacks, Alexander truly defied the odds. In college, Lorenzo was one of the most dominant interior linemen in the Pac-10 as a player, consistently drawing double-team strategy from opposing offenses. He was named honorable mention All-Pac-10 for two straight seasons and tabbed second team All-Pac-10 by Athlon Sports in its 2004 preseason magazine. He later earned the Brick Muller Award as the team's most valuable defensive lineman after surpassing his career-high in tackles with 33 stops in 2003.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the hiring of Michael Hutchings as the program's defensive coordinator on December 26, 2025. Hutchings comes to Berkeley after three seasons with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. For the last two years, he served as the team's safeties coach after being elevated from his role as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2023. Overall, Hutchings brings eight years of coaching experience - both collegiately and professionally - to Lupoi's staff. Before his time in the NFL, Hutchings spent time at Western Kentucky (2022), Oregon (2021) and USC (2018-20). He was the outside linebackers coach for the Hilltoppers during a 9-5 campaign. Before his time in Kentucky, he served as a defensive analyst under Mario Cristobal at Oregon and began his coaching career at his alma mater, USC. During his time at USC, Hutchings helped lead a dramatic improvement in the Trojans' defense from 2019 to 2020, with total yards allowed per game dropping from 408.7 to 369.7 and passing yards allowed per game falling from 246.2 to 216.3. The Concord native played four seasons (2013-16) at inside linebacker for USC, making 15 starts and recording 118 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two passes defensed and one interception. Hutchings received his bachelor's degree in communications and a master's degree in communication management from USC.

Saffell played four seasons at Cal as an offensive lineman (2017-20). He was a team captain and the Pac-12's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a 2020 senior. Saffell was also named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy that are considered college football's premier academic and community service awards, respectively. He helped Cal to back-to-back bowl games with the Bears appearing at the Cheez-It Bowl in 2018 before knocking off Illinois at the 2019 Redbox Bowl to finish 8-5 overall. At the age of 24, Saffell was promoted from a second-year graduate assistant to the team's tight ends coach between the 2023 regular season and the Bears' appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. He started his coaching career in 2021 as a student assistant with a pair of tight ends - Keleki Latu and Jake Tonges - from his tenure as a graduate or student assistant going on to play in the NFL. Saffell returns for his 10th season at Cal as a player or coach and his third campaign as a full-time member of the coaching staff in 2026.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced Nick Rolovich as the associate head coach and quarterbacks coach on January 15, 2026. Rolovich returns to Cal for a second season after he served as a senior offensive assistant in 2025 before being elevated to interim head coach for the team's final two games - an upset of No. 21 SMU in the regular-season finale and the Hawai'i Bowl. Rolovich worked closely with quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele in 2025 and helped the true freshman develop into one of the nation's top signal callers and an early 2026 Heisman Trophy candidate. Prior to his time in Berkeley, Rolovich served as the head coach at Washington State University. Before his time on the Palouse, Rolovich spent a total of eight seasons at the University of Hawai'i, the last four as head coach. He also served as Nevada's offensive coordinator for four seasons and spent two years coaching quarterbacks at City College of San Francisco. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at San Marin High School in Northern California. In his four seasons in Honolulu, Rolovich led the program to a 28-27 record and three bowl games including a 2019 campaign where he guided UH to its first 10-win season since 2010 as the Rainbow Warriors went 10-5, capped by a 38-34 win over BYU in the Hawaii Bowl. During his time as a head coach at Hawai'i, Rolovich coached 31 All-Mountain West Conference selections and 39 different student-athletes to a total of 59 All-Academic hono

Pat McCann has been a collegiate coach for over 15 years and spent the 2025 season at Oregon State as the wide receivers coach. He spent three years at Fresno State as the wide receivers coach and was later elevated to offensive coordinator, where he coached two 1,000-yard wide receivers and helped the 2023 offense rank second in the Mountain West for passing offense. Prior to Fresno State, McCann coached at Eastern Washington for three years as wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator, and recruiting coordinator. In 2021, the Eagles finished 10-3 with Eric Barriere named National FCS Player of the Year under his guidance. He previously coached at Northern Iowa, UC Davis for four seasons, and Stonehill College for four seasons. A Western Washington graduate, McCann played wide receiver for the Vikings and caught 58 passes for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, earning all-conference honors in 2008. He spent his first three collegiate years at College of the Canyons, leading the program to a Junior College National Championship in 2004.

Quintin Somerville joined Cal as a defensive analyst in early 2026. Somerville most recently served as a graduate assistant at UCLA for the past two seasons.

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the return of Sione Ta'ufo'ou as the team's assistant inside linebackers coach on January 15, 2026. Ta'ufo'ou enters his second season with the Bears in 2026 after working with the defensive line and outside linebackers last year. Ta'ufo'ou spent two campaigns as the defensive coordinator at UAB (2023-24) following a successful career as a prep coach, most recently at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville (2020-22), where his teams reached three state title games with wins in the last two. He also served as an assistant head coach in 2022 when his defense allowed only 5.5 points per game. In three seasons at Lipscomb, Ta'ufo'ou's squads posted a 37-4 record and 14 shutouts. He was previously a high school head coach at Menlo Atherton (2010-14) and Archbishop Mitty (2017-19) after beginning his coaching career with two campaigns as an assistant at Menlo School (2008-09). He earned three Coach of the Year awards during his tenure as a head coach. Four players who Ta'ufo'ou has been directly responsible for coaching - Desmond Little, BJ Mayes, Dacarrion "Mac" McWilliams, Joseph Vaughn - have gone on to play in the NFL. A native of San Carlos, California, Ta'ufo'ou played high school football at St. Francis (CA) and became an all-state linebacker at Community of San Mateo Community College. Following San Mateo, Ta'ufo'ou continued his football career at the University of Mary and graduated with a degree in business administration.

Haunga has worked his way up the coaching ladder over the last decade, starting his career as a strength and conditioning intern at Boise State and Cal. He returns to Berkeley as a full-time coach after having held multiple roles on various offensive staffs as an analyst. Haunga follows Lupoi from Oregon, where he has served as an offensive analyst for the last four seasons (2022-25). He has worked with multiple top-10 offenses and elite talents, including now-NFL quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. Following a breakout season by Nix in 2022, the Ducks led the nation in 2023 in passing offense (346.9 ypg) and ranked second in scoring offense (44.2 ppg). Prior to his time in Eugene, Haunga spent two seasons with North Texas (2020-21) as an offensive quality control coach. In 2019, Haunga served as a graduate assistant for the offensive line at Auburn during Nix's SEC Freshman of the Year rookie season. Haunga also had a three-year stint with Tulsa in three different roles, beginning in 2016 as a graduate assistant on the athletic performance staff before holding roles as an offensive graduate assistant in 2017 and an offensive analyst in 2018. As a player, he was a two-year letterwinner on the offensive line at Arkansas State and served as team captain as a 2013 senior. He played two seasons at College of the Canyons before moving on to Arkansas State, where he graduated with a bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies in 2014.

Tosh Lupoi, a former California defensive lineman and assistant coach known for his dynamic recruiting ability and who has enjoyed extensive success both in college and the NFL, was named the 35th head coach in program history on December 4, 2025. Lupoi comes home to Berkeley after spending the past four seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon. He also won a pair of national championships during a five-year stint at Alabama, where he served as outside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. Lupoi has additionally spent time on the coaching staff at the University of Washington and in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. Lupoi was a defensive lineman for the Golden Bears from 2000-05 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors as a senior. He went on to coach Cal's defensive line from 2008-11, making him the youngest full-time coach in California football history when he joined the staff at age 26 in 2008. Lupoi proved to be a strong recruiter and talent developer, helping the Bears bring in two highly touted recruiting classes and producing two first-round NFL Draft picks on the defensive line. At Alabama, Lupoi worked under legendary head coach Nick Saban and spent two seasons as co-defensive coordinator and his final year as the team's sole defensive coordinator. He coached the outside linebackers during his entire time with the Tide while helping Alabama reach four straight national championship games. Whi

Zach Tinker is Cal's special teams coordinator, hired December 27, 2025. He worked with special teams on Oregon's staff for three of the last four seasons, serving as quality control in 2022 and analyst since 2024, with a season at Cal in 2023. Oregon teams posted a 35-5 record, won the 2024 Big Ten title, and reached the College Football Playoff twice (2024, 2025) under his tenure. Notable specialists he coached include kickers Camden Lewis and Atticus Sappington. Tinker began his 27-year coaching career with 13 seasons at four Pacific Northwest schools (1999-2011) before an eight-year stint at South Dakota Mines (2012-2019) as offensive coordinator and head coach. He returned as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Washington (2020-2021), where his 2021 team went 8-3 with a league title and NCAA Division II playoff appearance, averaging 44.5 points per game. His 2018 South Dakota Mines team ranked as the nation's top passing offense in Division II. As Eastern Oregon's offensive coordinator (2008-2011), he led the 2011 team to an 8-3 record, their second winning season in 82 years. Tinker began at Meridian High School (1999-2002), winning the Class 2A State Championship in 1999. He played four seasons as a defensive end at Western Washington (1995-1998), earning the team's Most Inspirational Award as a 1998 senior. Tinker holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Western Washington (1998) and a master's in teaching (2008). He and his wife Marnie

Zach Werlinger returns to Berkeley for his second stint with the Golden Bears, this time as the quality control coach for special teams under head coach Tosh Lupoi. Werlinger rejoins the program following the 2025 season at Marist University, where he coached the tight ends and played a key role in the development of graduate transfer Connor Hulstein. Hulstein went on to become one of the most prolific tight ends in the FCS, earning AP Second Team All-American honors. Prior to Marist, Werlinger spent two seasons (2023–2024) at Rice University as an offensive quality control coordinator, working closely with the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks. Werlinger previously spent three seasons (2020-2022) at the University of California, Berkeley as an offensive graduate assistant, assisting with the wide receivers. In 2019, Werlinger served as an offensive graduate assistant at Northern Arizona University, where he helped coach the quarterbacks, including 4,000-yard passer, Case Cookus. Werlinger began his coaching career in 2018 as the wide receivers coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), a Division III program in Worcester, Massachusetts. Originally from Phoenix, Werlinger played quarterback at the University of Arizona, under Rich Rodriguez, from 2014 to 2017. He graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Arizona and completed his Master's degree in Public Health from UC Berkeley during his time as a graduate assistant.